Ricotta Gnocchi

Gnocchi can be a daunting dish to prepare but with a little practice it's easy. Making gnocchi is quick to make and you don't need any special equipment.

Portions: 4 - 6 Portions

Preparation: 10-15 minutes plus 20 minutes for cooking the potato

Cooking: 5 minutes

Ingredients

Gnocchi

750g large floury potatoes

75g plain flour

1 egg yolk

150g ricotta

1 tbsp of finely grated parmesan

pinch maldon salt

To Serve

sauce of your choice (see note)

parmesan shavings

Method

Gnocchi: Place the potatoes with their skin on in a saucepan with water and bring it to the boil and reduce to a strong simmer. Leave the potatoes to cook for 15-20 minutes until just tender or microwave them for 8-10 minutes on high (this is the best method as it retains the starch in the potatoes). Remove the potatoes from the water or microwave and peel them why they are still hot.

Flour a work top. Place the potatoes in a mouli (ricer) and puree them over the floured work top or mash them in a bowl until smooth. Scatter pinches the ricotta over the potato and sprinkle the flour and salt. Beat the egg yolk and place it in the centre of the potato. Using your hands knead all the ingredients gently together to form a firm ball. Roll out the potato into long sausage shape around 1.5-2cm in diameter. Cut the gnocchi into pieces around 3cm at a slight slant. Place the gnocchi on a lightly floured tray and place it in a cool place until ready to cook.

To Cook: Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil and reduce it to a strong simmer. Place a few pieces of gnocchi at a time to cook for 1-2 minutes (they are cooked when they rise to the top). Make sure you don't over fill the pan. Remove the gnocchi from the heat and place the gnocchi onto serving plates or bowls and keep them warm while you cook the remaining gnocchi

To Serve: For a simple sauce melt some butter with some sage or reduce some vegetable or chicken stock with cream to a sauce consistency. Pour the sauce over the gnocchi and lightly toss it so the gnocchi is coated in the sauce. Scatter some parmesan shavings over the top and serve.